


and she would try (to keep the empty from her eyes)

by stardustgirl



Series: i'll swim and sail a savage sea (with never a fear of drowning) [1]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Angst, Denial, Domestic Fluff, Dragons, F/M, Feelstember, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kissing, Loss of Parent(s), Panic Attacks, Parent Death, Romantic Fluff, SO, Teen Romance, Tragic Romance, but lots of fluff too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 15:32:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20491103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustgirl/pseuds/stardustgirl
Summary: Prompt fill for the Feelstember prompt "Kiss."Or, two times they kissed, and one time they didn't.





	and she would try (to keep the empty from her eyes)

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "The Mute" by Radical Face.
> 
> TW: Implied Death of Parent

**1**.

Hera slips out of her window, sprinting around the back edge of the village barefoot. She’s done this often enough it doesn’t hurt; she knows the way to their meeting spot intrinsically now, too.

She reaches the top of the cliff, and Caleb’s already there waiting. She smiles breathlessly.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he answers, breaking into a wide grin. She hesitates for only a moment before rushing toward him. He picks her up, spinning her around until they’re both breathless and grinning. They fall onto the grass, and Caleb lets loose a breathy laugh before rolling onto his side to face her.

“When do you think your father will say yes?”

“I’m not sure, honestly,” she replies. “But hopefully soon.” Hera rolls onto her side to face him, too, smiling.

“Then here’s to hoping.” He closes the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. She makes a surprised sound against his mouth before returning the gesture.

Her father will say yes to his proposal. He has to.

* * *

**2**.

“If we ever have kids, what would you name them?”

Hera looks over her shoulder, setting down the whetstone momentarily. Caleb’s preoccupied with his own blade, as well, though he’s already moved past sharpening it and onto polishing. She shrugs and returns her attention to her axe.

“I’m not sure. I like the name Jacen, for a boy.”

There’s a moment’s pause before her husband replies. “That’s a good one. For a girl, though….”

“I have no clue for a girl,” she says honestly, laughing and shaking her head. She hears him put down his sax from across the room and approach, looping his arms loosely around her neck. “I’m busy,” she protests half-heartedly, laughing as he kisses the top of her head.

“What about Sabine?” he murmurs quietly, tracing a hand down her braid.

“I like that.”

* * *

**\+ 1**.

Hera’s breath comes in hard heaves as she turns, looking around the burning village. The cries of dragons still echo in the distance, long gone and leaving only ashes behind. No. He can’t– he’s not—

“Hera!”

She jumps at the call, turning and trembling. Numa’s approaching hurriedly, beckoning. “It’s your father.”

“Wh– what?” she asks haltingly, still in shock. Caleb can’t– he can’t have—

“It was a Skrill.”

Not two. Not– not both of them– maybe if she just asks around– maybe someone will have seen him—

“Hera. Are you all right?”

Numa’s hand on her shoulder makes her jump and she turns, breathing harshly. “He’s not– he’s not dead, Numa, he’s not—”

Her friend’s dark brows furrow. “Who’s not dead?”

“Caleb– he’s– he’s not dead– he can’t be dead he can’t be dead—”

As much as she wants to deny it, she saw it with her own eyes. The massive dragon flying away with her husband– with her _ husband— _

Her voice sounds distant to her own ears when she speaks again. “He can’t be dead.”


End file.
